Occupational Therapy
Medication Adherence
Routine
One of the best strategies to improve medication adherence is associating medication dosing times with routines carried out every day, such as oral hygiene, drinking coffee, or eating. A recent study in AJOT by Sanders and Van Oss (2013) found that 91% of older adults use an activity-based method to remember to take their medications. The table below (from the manuscript) demonstrates the most popular time and routines associated with medication taking.
Any participant that does not use a activity-based medication method may benefit from this intervention technique. The participants use of activity-based medication routines will be identified in the Occupational Profile Interview and the Home Environment Medication Screen.
Implementing this strategy has three parts.
1. Identify the clients dosing schedule. How many times a day do they have to take their medication? (Note that you should make sure the client's dosing schedule makes sense. Based on the information on the labels, can the dosing schedule be simplified?)
2. Find out what a "typical day" looks like for the client. What are some activities they do on a consistent basis (preferably around the same time every day)?
3. Finally, (using the motivational interviewing technique) help the client to link their medication dosing schedule and daily schedule to figure out activities the he or she may associate together.
An example of this technique might be that a client who takes their medications twice a day begins to take her medications when she brushed her teeth in the morning and when she eats dinner at night.
There is no handout for this technique. Ask many open ended questions to attempt to help the client generate their own solutions. Make sure to take simple early to read notes and give them to the client upon deciding on a new strategy.